PHILIPSBURG:--- The Prosecutor's Office has withdrawn two of the eight criminal charges against suspect Dr. Danny Dennaoui after forensic testing established that a white substance seized during the police investigation was not cocaine, significantly narrowing the scope of one of St. Maarten's most closely watched criminal cases.
The clarification comes days after the Court suspended Dr. Danny Dennaoui's pre-trial detention under strict conditions due to the ongoing lack of detention space at the Pointe Blanche Prison.
According to the Prosecutor's Office, the indictment originally contained eight offenses, with the principal charge being unlawful deprivation of liberty, an offense punishable under Articles 2:250 or, alternatively, 2:249 of the Penal Code of St. Maarten.
However, prosecutors confirmed that Counts 6 and 8 have now been withdrawn.
The decision followed the receipt of a forensic report from the Netherlands Forensic Institute (NFI) on the morning of last Wednesday's court hearing.
While preliminary field testing had initially suggested the seized substance contained cocaine, comprehensive laboratory analysis by the NFI determined that the substance was not cocaine.
As a direct consequence, prosecutors said the charge of possession of cocaine could no longer be sustained. Since the money laundering allegation was based entirely on the suspicion that Dr. Danny Dennaoui possessed a significant quantity of cocaine, that charge also collapsed.
"The money laundering charges were directly related to the suspicion of being in possession of a large amount of cocaine," the Prosecutor's Office stated. "With the NFI results in mind, the suspicion of money laundering can no longer be upheld."
Serious allegations remain
Although two charges have been dismissed, Dr. Danny Dennaoui still faces six serious criminal allegations centered on the alleged abuse of a domestic worker.
The most serious accusation alleges that Dr. Danny Dennaoui, acting either alone or together with others, unlawfully deprived the victim of her liberty in an effort to force her to reveal the location of missing money and identify who allegedly stole it.
According to the indictment, the victim was allegedly restrained against her will, threatened with a firearm and syringes, injected with an unknown substance, prevented from leaving the residence, and held for several hours.
The prosecution also alleges that during the same incident, Dr. Danny Dennaoui stole the victim's house key through the use of violence and intimidation.
Another charge accuses him of attempted extortion, alleging he tried through threats and violence to force the victim to disclose information about the missing money for financial gain. Prosecutors say the attempt ultimately failed.
Dr. Danny Dennaoui is further accused of making death threats by displaying a firearm and syringes while allegedly telling the victim she would die if she refused to cooperate.
Another count accuses him of intentionally assaulting the victim by injecting her one or more times with a substance using syringes, an offense prosecutors describe as aggravated by the use of a weapon and possible premeditation.
The remaining weapons charge alleges Dr. Danny Dennaoui unlawfully possessed firearms and ammunition, including a .22-caliber rifle, a handgun or firearm-like object, and 101 rounds of .22-caliber ammunition.
Release linked to prison overcrowding
The Prosecutor's Office also addressed public concern over Dr. Danny Dennaoui's release from detention.
Prosecutors stressed that the Court suspended his pre-trial detention solely because of the chronic shortage of detention capacity at the Pointe Blanche prison, not because the seriousness of the allegations had diminished.
According to the prosecution, decisions of this nature have become increasingly common due to the prison's overcrowding.
Rather than allowing Dr. Danny Dennaoui to be released without restrictions—a step prosecutors say often becomes necessary when detention space is unavailable—the Prosecutor's Office requested that the Court suspend his detention under strict conditions.
Those conditions include a restraining order prohibiting contact with the alleged victim and the surrender of his passport, among other restrictions.
The Court granted that request.
Deportation does not halt prosecution
The Prosecutor's Office also dismissed suggestions that the case has been weakened because the alleged victim was deported from St. Martin by the French authorities.
Prosecutors said deportation does not affect the criminal proceedings.
According to the statement, Victim Support Services has maintained regular contact with the complainant, who is free to travel back to St. Maarten if required.
The victim is expected to be interviewed by the investigating judge, as previously ordered by the Court, and has already been informed of the latest developments through Victim Support Services.
Co-suspect to appear in September
The Prosecutor's Office further confirmed that Dr. Michael Dennaoui, identified as a co-suspect in the investigation, has not yet been formally served with his indictment, preventing prosecutors from discussing the charges against him in detail.
However, officials confirmed that Dr. Michael Dennaoui will be summoned to appear alongside his son, Dr. Danny Dennaoui, on September 16, when the criminal proceedings are scheduled to continue before the Court.
While the prosecution's case has now been reduced from eight to six counts, prosecutors maintain that the remaining allegations—including unlawful deprivation of liberty, assault, threats, attempted extortion, theft with violence, and illegal firearm possession—remain fully before the Court and will be tested during the upcoming trial.